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Can you hear your rabbit breathing?

Deelove

Wise Old Thumper
I know that sounds an odd question, but this has always bugged me. I can hear Faline breathing when I'm near her, to me it sounds like a slightly wheezey squeaky sound. I've asked two vets about it and they've both said she's just a heavier breather. She's the only one out of 7 rabbits and ones I've had as a child that I can hear.

I've always been a bit concerned that she'll be more likely to get breathing problems. Am I just being really weird and paranoid?
 
I personally don't hear my bunnies breathing, but it's probably absolutely fine, especially as the vet has said it's ok.
 
I know that sounds an odd question, but this has always bugged me. I can hear Faline breathing when I'm near her, to me it sounds like a slightly wheezey squeaky sound. I've asked two vets about it and they've both said she's just a heavier breather. She's the only one out of 7 rabbits and ones I've had as a child that I can hear.

I've always been a bit concerned that she'll be more likely to get breathing problems. Am I just being really weird and paranoid?


Rabbit breathing should not be audible. I would monitor her carefully for signs of increased respiratory effort and/or nasal discharge

Is she an indoor Bunny? Central heating can play havoc with a Bun's rspiratory tract (which is why I am sitting here in my coat and my Central Heating is off :rolleyes: )
A Humidifier can help if Faline is indoors and sensitive to dry air caused by central heating

Janex
 
We could always hear our Santolina weeze a little when she either breathed in or out - can't remember which. She had blocked tear ducts in one eye. Don't know if that was the problem but it never got worse or caused her problems - she just snored a little which, I think even Betty did it occassionally now I think about. Not a problem until we were all in the caravan and then we noticed the snoring in the night!
 
Rabbit breathing should not be audible. I would monitor her carefully for signs of increased respiratory effort and/or nasal discharge

Is she an indoor Bunny? Central heating can play havoc with a Bun's rspiratory tract (which is why I am sitting here in my coat and my Central Heating is off :rolleyes: )
A Humidifier can help if Faline is indoors and sensitive to dry air caused by central heating

Janex

Yes she is indoors, I will monitor her and try a dehumidifier. Thanks for your help. Nice to know I'm not crazy.
 
My little Joey had a really bad case of snuffles more than a year ago, and the vet reckons he has scarred lungs from it. I have heard his breathing ever since, but have not heard any of my other rabbits at all.
 
My bunny's a heavy breather also, the vet has always said he's fine so I'm just keeping my eye on it incase it worsens! But he seems to be fine! :D
 
Hi Deelove...

Bit of the same problem here with our female...

We got her 3 times to the vet, because we were simply worried about this, they did every possible examination, from radiografie to sending samples to the lab, but couldn't find anything...

I had her chequed out at home by our behavioural therapist, who is also a vet and she said a few months ago that it might be just her, breathing nervously... meaning she is just a nervous rabbit and breaths in and out way to quick...

At the moment I didn't really take that serious... but now... since last week; I am giving them their ss on the couch... 2 bunny mouths in front of me nibbling... and I see Clicquot arriving and then munching feriously making strange noises... her nose gets wet as well....

She is simply fixated on food and I think my behavioural therpist was right after all... when Clicquot îs afraid she is missing out on something ,she gets really nervous, starts breathing faster and doesn't fill het lungs completely which makes her have to breath more often... she is just very nervous I think...

Don's know wether it might be the same problem you have...but your story sounden very like hers....
 
hmm, that's interesting. I wouldn't say she's a nervous rabbit. Quite the opposite. Nothing seems to phase her and she is very active and boisterous. Maybe it is excitement anxiousness rather than nerves?
 
Interesting post! I was thinking of asking a similar thing as Jess sometimes sounds a little wheezy, she sometimes makes the same noise when scoffing (and I MEAN scoffing!) her food. She's indoors so may be it's the central heating thing. I never hear Elsie breathing unless she is REALLY close to my ear :D
 
Rabbit breathing should not be audible. I would monitor her carefully for signs of increased respiratory effort and/or nasal discharge

Is she an indoor Bunny? Central heating can play havoc with a Bun's rspiratory tract (which is why I am sitting here in my coat and my Central Heating is off :rolleyes: )
A Humidifier can help if Faline is indoors and sensitive to dry air caused by central heating

Janex

I'm sorry to say I have to disagree there.

Having the central heating on full blast certainly helped Magic and Poppy in their final days.

Magic especially because he was chronically ill, used to sit right by the heating vent, it definately helped his breathing.

(For anyone who doesn't know, Magic and Poppy were two of the five myxi buns :cry:)
 
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